


An Uncommon Grail War: Prologue 2: Rider

by panahinuva



Category: Fate/Grand Order, Fate/Zero, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms, Original Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:08:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22095391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/panahinuva/pseuds/panahinuva
Summary: A new grail war begins in London. The second servant is summoned by a peaceful deathspeaker.
Kudos: 4





	An Uncommon Grail War: Prologue 2: Rider

A young man dozed under a tree in Letna Park in Prague. His curly red hair had leaves tangled in it and his glasses were hanging off his face as he snored gently. The air beside him shimmered and a skeletal hand gently pushed his glasses up his face, before shaking him gently. "Sir? Master Raske? The circle is ready." The voice was ethereal, soft and vaguely perturbing, like nails being trailed across ice. Jacob Raske sat up with a snort, glasses falling off. The figure caught them and put them back again with a sigh. "Sir, you really must be more careful. If you behave like this during the Grail War, you surely will be killed."

Jacob smiled. "That's what I have you for, Ludovicus. You are my bodyguard after all." He stood up, raking the leaves out of his hair with his fingers. "Let's get this started. We have three days before the trip to London and I'd rather not disappoint Mistress Delacroix." The letter had been cordial enough, but very clear that he was not to try to evade the invitation. Add in the command seals on his hand and the invitation being directly from his old Clock Tower teacher, Marion Delacroix, he was disinclined to refuse.

He pulled a glasses case out of his pocket and opened it, considering the pince-nez glasses contained within. "Are you positive about this summon, sir?" Ludovicus asked, the spirit floating up next to him. The spirit had, in life, been the manservant to some mage or other. He had still been full of a desire to serve, so calling him back to the material world had required little effort and keeping him was simplicity itself. "He is perhaps...a bit recent?"

Jacob smiled wider as they crossed the park into a secluded grove of trees he had enchanted. It radiated death and horror, repulsing anyone who thought to enter, leaving the summoning circle unmolested. "You underestimate the power of modern mythology. You don't assemble a list of nicknames and a heroic stature in history without generating enough momentum to be worthy of becoming a heroic spirit. Trust me on this." Inside the grove was a summoning circle constructed from sticks painted with Jacob's own blood, to pull the circle together. "I'm sure he'll feel welcome here." He stepped carefully into the circle, placing the glasses down in the middle before stepping back.

Ludovicus sighed. "Wasn't he used in the summoning of another heroic spirit? Some inventor or other, I'm sure. And that summon didn't even come out properly." He pointed out. "I'm not trying to undermine your confidence, Master Rasche, but..."

Jacob cut him off with a gesture. "Enough. Trust that I know what I'm doing." He said, smile vanishing into a scowl. "I need a warrior, someone who has the fighting spirit I lack. And I have no desire to summon some ancient soldier or barbarian that will mock me for not wishing to fight. He will suffice." He walked over to the circle and raised his hands, closing his eyes and starting the summoning chant. 

The circle began to glow, the blood evaporating into a green glow that hovered gently over it. The grass and trees trembled and seemed to lean forward and murmur to themselves. Jacob almost faltered as he heard something approaching, but stayed focused on the summoning. The glow brightened and the clearing started to shake, the sound of powerful hoofbeats becoming clearly audible now. There was a crash and the clearing shook and then suddenly, there in the circle was a man, easily six feet tall, looking at him with arms folded. He was wearing an American military uniform, adorned with stars at the shoulders, lapels and on his belt. On his back rested a massive rifle, the butt of which resembled the head of a gnarled club. He had a well groomed mustache and wore the pince-nez that had been previously in the center of the circle. "Well lad, you've summoned me as a rider class servant! Bully for you, young man." He boomed. 

His raw charisma almost knocked Jacob down, but he recovered and set himself. No matter how genial the spirit seemed, he wouldn't respect a master that couldn't stand up to him. "Welcome, President Roosevelt." He said respectfully, bowing his head. "I have summoned you to..."

"Yes, yes, you've summoned me to throw your hat into the ring of war!" Roosevelt cut him off without hesitation. "I recognize you as my master and all that nonsense. I'm eager to begin!" He looked around. "Where are we, out of curiosity?" He asked.

"Ah...Prague, in Letna Park." Jacob replied. "I thought you might be most comfortable being summoned in a green space. I had my assistant scout the city parks until he found one with the leylines to support a servant summoning." He indicated Ludovicus.

Roosevelt considered the spirit with mild distaste. "Ah, a necromancer are you? Had to put down one of you in Cuba. Nasty fellow." He frowned. "You don't have the same smell of the wretched grave about you, though. What kind of necromancer are you?" 

Jacob sighed. "Not that kind of necromancer. I deal only in spirits willingly returned, not the mindless hordes. I have no interest in attracting the attention that kind of behavior draws."

Roosevelt nodded knowingly. "Dead Apostles. Now those wretched creatures plagued the entire reign of my presidency." He pushed his glasses up his nose, then slapped his thigh. "I have no interest in riding a car back to your domicile. You may, but I intend to ride!" He stepped out of the circle as the thunderous hoofbeats began again. Out of the shade of the trees emerged a truly enormous beast, one which the necromancer quickly identified as the extinct Elk-Moose. Roosevelt casually vaulted into the saddle on its back. "Not what I usually think of as a warhorse, but in a war of magic, a magical beast for a mount seems fitting!" He boomed cheerfully. "Would you care to join me, Master Rasche?" He inquired, a twinkle in his eye.

Jacob looked up at the massive beast, which looked back at him with a slight hint of malice. "No thank you." He replied. "Please follow my car in spirit form. I'd rather not have an incident with the police spotting a former American president riding on a giant moose." He sighed.

Roosevelt laughed uproariously. "Well spotted, young man!" He replied. "Lead the way, I shall follow. And together, we shall conquer the hill of combat!" He shimmered out of reality and Jacob began the walk back to his car, Ludovicus following in step.

"I must say, master, this was more of a success than I could've imagined." The ghost commented. "That spirit easily has the power to rival riders from previous grail wars, like Iskander or Darius."

Jacob smiled. "I'm used to people doubting me, I don't let it break my stride." He said, heading out towards the city. "Strange problems require strange solutions. And I am full of strange solutions." 


End file.
